Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay
Black Library has announced the Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay game, to be released in March 2007, later changed to September 2007 and recenly February 2008. This page contains offical information and rumours about the game.
Contents
Press release
- MARCH 14 2006 (Nottingham, England) 2007 will mark the 20th anniversary of the first publication of Games Workshop’s legendary Warhammer 40,000 game system. It’s no coincidence that March 2007 will also see one of the most eagerly awaited events in gaming history – the release of Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay (40KRP)! Rumours have been circulating in the roleplay community for many years about such a game. Now Black Industries, fresh from the success of the revamped Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, can reveal that it really will be happening, and in a way no one is expecting. Because there won’t be one 40KRP game, but three!
- Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy will be the first 40KRP game, allowing players to take on the role of an Inquisitor’s retinue. Their task is to uproot the taint of Chaos in Imperial society, to smash dark cults and foil sinister plots. It’s a game of investigation and will be an ideal introduction to the dark and gothic universe of the 41st Millennium. Dark Heresy is just the beginning, however. After this basic game, two further games released eighteen months apart will allow the players to progress and explore the universe first as Rogue Traders and alien pirates, and eventually experienced players will be able to roleplay the devastating warriors of the Adeptus Astartes Deathwatch.
- All three games use the same game system, which is itself based in part upon the award-winning Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Players will be able to progress from one system to the next, as they gain experience and a measure of understanding of the vastly detailed universe of Warhammer 40,000. Each of the games will consist of a core rulebook accompanied by regular releases of sourcebooks and adventures.
- Game design is being handled by Green Ronin, the team who helped create the sensational new version of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay so successfully in 2005, and much of the background is being handled by the Black Library’s team of writers.
- For more information as it becomes available keep an Inquisitorial eye on www.blackindustries.com. But remember, heretic: innocence proves nothing.
Release dates
Black Industries plans to release the core games eighteen months apart:
- Dark Heresy - March 2007
- Rogue Trader - September 2008 (GenCon premiere)
- Death Watch - Spring 2009 (GTS premiere)
Important: last two dates are distinctly tentative.
Products
All three games will be 100% compatible, offering new and increasingly advanced rules as each new game appears.
Dark Heresy (beginner)
Theme: Investigation
Players are part of an inquisitor’s retinue rooting out corruption (bad humans), heresy (Chaos taint) and alien threats. Psykers, military men, interrogators and other trainee inquisitors, etc.
Rogue Trader (intermediate)
Key theme: Exploration
Players are Rogue Traders and their retinue training and double-dealing between the stars. Navigator houses and astropaths. Explorator teams seeking out new or forgotten worlds. Bandits, pirates and treasure hunters. Dark eldar renegades; ork freebooters; kroot mercenaries.
Deathwatch (advanced)
Key theme: Devastation
Players are Space Marines from the Astartes on secondment to the Deathwatch or Grey Knights, formed in small, high power bands rooting out heresy and free to roam far from battlefields (unlike regular Space Marines).
Support products
A complete range, releasing in similar frequency and formats to the WFRP range. High quality, often full colour.
- Area sourcebooks
- Advanced rules sourcebooks (eg psykers, starship combat)
- Campaigns and adventures
- GM and player accessories
System
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay ("40KRP") will use rules similar to those in the second edition of Warhammer Fanatasy Roleplay ("WHFRP2").
External links
- Official Black Industries press release.
- Official Black Industries Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay forums.
- Gaming Report post about the first announcement.
- Gaming Report post with more specifics.
